The 2022 Zurich Film Festival will honor Sony Pictures Classics heads Michael Barker and Tom Bernard with the Game Changer Award, an honor for professionals in the film industry.
Barker and Bernard founded SPC 30 years ago in January 1992 with Marcy Bloom to pioneer and advance the distribution and promotion of independent and international art cinema in the United States. His hit list dates back to 1998’s Tom Tykwer run free lola and Ang Lee’s Chinese-language blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Before the premiere of Damien Chazelle Whip (2014) and Florian Zeller’s hit Sleeper Daddyfrom 2020.
Barker and Bernard’s films received 183 Academy Award nominations, including nine for Best Picture, and won 41 Oscars.
“Sony Pictures Classics is synonymous with intelligent art cinema among film lovers,” said Christian Jungen, artistic director of the Zurich Film Festival. “Michael and Tom have been producing and delivering sophisticated entertainment for the past 30 years. They introduced great European authors like [Pedro] Almodovar, [Wim] Wenders and Maren Ade brought the best of American independent cinema to American audiences and the world. Others came and went: they remained successful and devoted themselves to cinema for 30 years. We want to honor this achievement with our award.”
Barker and Bernard will receive the Game Changer Award in Zurich on Sunday, September 25, during the industry-focused Zurich Summit festival.
The 18th Zurich International Film Festival will take place from September 22 to October 2.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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